Unstoppable Victor Boniface got on the score-sheet despite only coming on 23 minutes from time in the second half as Bayer Leverkusen thrashed Bochum 4-0 at the BayArena on Wednesday night.
Leverkusen vs Bochum: How it happened
After a difficult start to the game with almost half an hour gone, Xabi Alonso's side opened the scoring from Patrik Schick who had started ahead of Victor Boniface in the number 9 role.
Two minutes later, Bochum's defense was breached once more as Schick got his second of the evening from a Jeremie Frimpong assist.
With the team coasting to victory whilst maintaining control of the game, Alonso's men looked to have headed to the break on a two-goal lead.
However, known as an unrelenting side this season in the Bundesliga, Leverkusen were still determined to score a third just before the break as the Czech Republic forward got his hat-trick to send Leverkusen 3-0 up in the first minute of added time.
Victor Boniface with his 10th Bundesliga goal of the season
Super Eagles striker Boniface was thrown into the thick of the action in the 67th minute as he replaced hat-trick hero Schick.
However, within two minutes of his introduction, a through pass from Florian Wirtz was expertly finished off by Boniface whose effort ricocheted off Bochum's goalkeeper Riemann and into the net.
🚨🇳🇬GOAL! Victor Boniface scores for Bayer Leverkusen pic.twitter.com/uTV572CblP
— Football View (@FootballViewYT) December 20, 2023
With that effort, Boniface extended his scoring form for Leverkusen as he bagged his 10th Bundesliga goal of the season and his 16th across all competitions. He also has six assists this season to his name.
Alonso's men did not add to their tally anymore as they saw out the game in brilliant fashion to continue their grip on top of the table.
What the win means for Leverkusen
With their 13th win of the Bundesliga campaign, Leverkusen will go into the winter break top of the standings with four points clear of their nearest rival Bayern Munich.
The league will resume for the second stanza on 12 January 2024 with Bayern Munich hosting Hoffenheim at the Allianz Arena.
Leverkusen will be back in action the next day as they make the trip to Augsburg in a game Boniface won't be available for Alonso's side because of the Africa Cup of Nation where he will be representing Nigeria in the Ivory Coast.
Leverkusen vs Bochum confirmed lineups
Leverkusen: Hradecky, Stanisic, Tah, Hincapie, Frimpong, Xhaka, Andrich, Grimaldo, Hofmann, Wirtz, Schick.
Subs: Kovar, Tapsoba, Kossounou, Amiri, Tella, Puerta, Boniface, Hlozek, Adli,
Bochum: Riemann, Bernardo, Schlotterbeck, Masovic, Gamboa, Bero, Osterhage, Losilla, Antwi-Adjei, Paciencia, Asano.
Subs: Thiede, Oermann, Loosli, Wittek, Soares, Forster, Kwarteng, Daschner, Broschinski.
This article was most recently revised and updated 1 year ago
